"Layne's take on the familiar theme is sweet and direct enough even for young children to grasp the pictures pair nicely with the straightforward text, giving it a zesty layer of humor." --Booklist Older siblings are notorious for reluctantly welcoming home a new bundle of joy, and many parents know the difficulty of teaching the firstborn to "love the baby." In this new picture book by the award-winning team of Steven Layne and Ard Hoyt, the refrain of "looooove the baby" is repeated often enough for it to eventually come true for the once insecure and spiteful older brother. The transition occurs when Baby cries and cries one night-and no one comes to help. Awakened by the cries, the older brother comes to Baby's rescue. He makes Baby giggle and sing and builds a giant tower of blocks. He reads Baby his favorite book. Once Baby is finally asleep, the big brother notices with pride that he really does love the baby after all Parents and teachers alike will appreciate how this book lightly and humorously approaches such a weighty subject for children awaiting a new sibling. The colorful illustrations of bunnies allow kids of all backgrounds and ages to relate and recognize themselves in the story.

When teaching reading, American classrooms often focus exclusively on skills instruction. But how can you teach the ""how"" without the ""why?"" In his new book, Igniting a Passion for Reading, Steve Layne shows teachers how to develop readers who are not only motivated to read great books, but also love reading in its own right.